Dwayne Wade appears on stage with fans during a promotion event for his new Li Ning shoe in Beijing.

Fresh off of helping the Miami Heat burnish their already sterling reputation with a second NBA title in as many years, basketball star Dwayne Wade is now trying bolster the image of a Chinese sports brand desperate to recover its former glory.

Mr. Wade took the stage in China’s capital Wednesday, drawing adoring crowds of young basketball fans who cheered him on as he flashed off his new “Way of Wade” collection of Li Ning basketball shoes. “I have come again,” Mr. Wade said in Mandarin, sparking applause from his fans. His signature sneakers were inspired by determination and his own background, Mr. Wade said, adding, “Growing up into Chicago, I had to be fearless.”

Taking the back seat to Mr. Wade was Li Ning’s namesake founder who is one of China’s most renowned athletes, having won six medals–three of which were gold– in gymnastic events at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Mr. Li sat quietly at the event, dressed in a Western suit and a pair of Wade’s shoes, appearing only for a few minutes to hype the new face of his brand.

Li Ning, the maker of basketball shoes, badminton gear and other apparel, is in the midst of a three-year restructuring plan to turn around its brand. The Chinese company once aimed to topple Nike Inc. at home and overseas but it lost steam in the last few years, struggling to clear its shelves and has faced added pressure as other companies, such as Gap Inc. and Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz AB, have expanded in the market. China Real Time has more.